John Laporte Email and Phone Number

An experienced restaurant Industry CTO available for fractional or full time technology/digital consulting.- Experienced in Implementing new technology, or refining and optimizing existing digital tech stack.- Experienced with franchised organizations where effective collaboration and communication are required to complete digital projects.- Engagements can include full IT assessments and recommendations. Interviewing key stakeholders and creating business requirements to identify correct solutions.- Technology road mapping tied to company leadership's business objectives clarifying "future state" tech stack composition.- Reduction of IT budget through strategic vendor partner outsourcing and renewed internal IT team focus on brand centric IP.- Taking companies from digitally relevant to digital first.

Using my CTO and restaurant industry experience to lead a $65M Australian Based Cloud POS Software company's entry into the US North American Market. Lead a team in the US that includes Sales, Support and Development.

Partner with JRG Restaurants based in Casper Wyoming to head up all technology related services. More than a technology role, this was a business partnership helping to strategize guest facing technology, loyalty. Working to plan implement and support Retail (Hardware, Liquor and casino locations) along with a chain of restaurants.

Direct Merger of Logan's Roadhouse with Rock Bottom, Gordon Biersch, Old Chicago Pizza, and 5 other brands to create Craftworks Holdings, a new $1B company with over 22,000 employees in 39 states. Craftworks Holdings was the largest private craft brewery company with over 60 private microbreweries across the nation. This created a unique dining experience with upscale casual dining and featuring local branded craft beers only available at our restaurant locations. Key IT objectives will be to optimize, standardize and centralize systems and support while preserving each brand's uniqueness in the market place. This will create the key synergies to allow for not only the success of the current brands but will set the stage for additional acquisitions.Implemented advanced loyalty and guest engagement solutions to drive guest frequency and increase check average.

Streamline/Optimize IT Operations. Standardize POS for company and franchise operations (Micros), Develop comprehensive DR plan and upgrade/modernize internal systems to maximize scalability. Modify "complete in-source" of IT to hybrid of "in and outsource" taking advantage of cost savings but keeping core key systems control in-house. Implement comprehensive data mart along with Cognos BI to support company new product and promotional tracking and managment.

Reporting to CEO and Providing IT Strategic Direction for Public Growth Company.Standardized field systems support and streamlined data architecture for rapid company expansion. Implemented comprehensive BI tools using MS SQL data warehousing and datamart utilizing extensive ETL and Data Cubing.

Acquired by Shari's Management, CRG - Catalina Restaurant Group (Coco's and Carrows Restaurants) 290 locations and $350M in sales annually and 8,000 employees Lead company's separation from parent company (Denny's). Built IT infrastructure and team from the ground-up. Implemented new POS, Back Office and ERP systems.Implement and coordinate infrastructure changes to facilitate daily business with HQ in Japan after the company was purchased by Zensho Group.

Select and rollout of new POS and Back Office for standardization of training and streamlining of data flow. Developed custom labor and inventory control systems for restaurants. Developed rapid menu deployment for quick response to marketing and R&D requests. Worked closely with construction and development departments to standardize and refine new building prototypes for all IT systems.

POS Software Development - work with operations and create software specifications, manage development efforts, test and implement software. POS Engineering - work with operations to develop new hardware solutions for Drive thru & Kitchen operationsField engineer - work directly with restaurants to resolve field related issues